SKIN TAGS MULTIPLYING ON YOUR NECK? IT’S YOUR BLOOD SUGAR WARNING YOU!

For years, millions of people have looked in the mirror and noticed small, soft pieces of skin appearing around their neck, under their arms, near their eyelids or in other body folds. Many people dismiss them as nothing more than a normal part of aging.

They call them “just skin.”

But according to Dr. Armor, those small growths may sometimes represent a message coming from deeper inside the body.

“These little soft bumps are usually not dangerous by themselves,” Dr. Armor explained. “But when they begin appearing in larger numbers, especially around areas where skin rubs together, they can be a sign that something else may be happening beneath the surface.”

The medical name for these growths is acrochordon, more commonly known as skin tags. They are small, soft pieces of tissue that extend from the skin. Under a microscope, they are made of loose collagen fibers covered by normal skin cells and supplied by tiny blood vessels.

In most cases, skin tags are harmless.

However, Dr. Armor says the important question is not only what the skin tag is, but why it is appearing and why some people develop dozens while others develop almost none.

“The mistake many people make is treating only what they can see,” he said. “They remove the skin tag, but they never ask what signal caused the skin to create more.”

The hidden connection between skin tags and insulin

For decades, people have been told that skin tags are mainly caused by genetics, age and friction.

And those factors do play a role.

Skin tags commonly appear in areas where skin touches and rubs against skin. The neck, armpits, groin, eyelids and folds beneath the breasts are common locations because these areas are warm, sometimes moist and exposed to repeated friction.

But Dr. Armor explains that friction alone does not tell the entire story.

“If two people have the same neck, the same clothing, the same movement and the same amount of friction, why does one person develop a few skin tags while another develops clusters every year?” he asked.

According to Dr. Armor, researchers have increasingly focused on the role of insulin and the body’s response to this hormone.

Most people know insulin as the hormone responsible for controlling blood sugar. After eating, glucose levels rise in the bloodstream. The pancreas releases insulin, which helps move sugar from the blood into cells where it can be used for energy.

But insulin has another role that receives far less attention.

Insulin is also connected to growth signals inside the body.

“When insulin levels remain elevated for long periods, the body is receiving a constant message that says: build, store and grow,” Dr. Armor explained.

That growth signal does not only affect cells involved in metabolism. It can also influence other tissues, including the skin.

Researchers studying skin tag tissue have found increased activity involving insulin-like growth factor pathways. These signals may encourage certain skin cells to grow more actively, especially in areas already exposed to friction.

Dr. Armor compared the process to fertilizer.

“Fertilizer does not decide what grows. It simply strengthens the growth signal,” he said. “If the environment is already favorable, growth becomes easier.”

In this comparison, friction creates the environment. Elevated insulin may provide part of the growth signal.

Why normal blood sugar tests may not reveal the entire picture

One of the most surprising points Dr. Armor highlights is that a person can sometimes have early insulin resistance before traditional blood sugar tests become abnormal.

Insulin resistance occurs when cells become less responsive to insulin’s message.

The pancreas responds by producing more insulin to compensate.

Imagine calling someone’s name in a crowded room. If they do not hear you, you do not usually whisper. You speak louder.

Dr. Armor explains that the pancreas can work in a similar way.

“When cells stop responding efficiently, the body increases the signal,” he said. “Insulin levels can rise as the body tries harder and harder to maintain balance.”

During this stage, blood sugar may still appear normal because the pancreas is working overtime.

A routine fasting glucose test may not show the full picture.

“This is why some people feel confused,” Dr. Armor explained. “They are told their numbers look fine, but their body may already be sending earlier warning signs.”

Skin changes, including increased numbers of skin tags or darker thickened patches of skin, may be clues worth discussing with a healthcare professional.

The other skin sign many people overlook

Dr. Armor also points to another skin change that may appear alongside skin tags.

It is called acanthosis nigricans.

This condition causes areas of skin to become darker, thicker and velvety in texture. It often appears on the back and sides of the neck, under the arms or in other body folds.

“It can look almost like dirt that will not wash away,” Dr. Armor said. “But it is not dirt. It is a change in the skin.”

Acanthosis nigricans is commonly associated with insulin resistance and elevated insulin levels.

When skin tags and these darker velvety patches appear together, Dr. Armor says it may be a reason to take a closer look at metabolic health.

This does not mean every skin tag indicates a blood sugar problem.

Many people develop skin tags for completely harmless reasons.

But sudden increases, clusters of new growths or the combination of several skin changes may deserve attention.

The mistake of focusing only on removal

Many people immediately search for ways to remove skin tags.

Some purchase removal kits. Others attempt to tie them off with string or cut them at home.

Dr. Armor strongly warns against these approaches.

“A skin tag may be harmless, but not every growth that looks like a skin tag should be treated without evaluation,” he explained.

Removing suspicious growths at home can cause bleeding, infection and scarring. It can also delay the diagnosis of a different skin condition.

A healthcare professional can determine whether a growth is truly a harmless skin tag and remove it safely if necessary.

But Dr. Armor emphasizes that removal does not address the reason new ones may continue appearing.

“Removing the visible part is like cutting leaves from a plant while ignoring the roots,” he said.

What Dr. Armor recommends for supporting healthier insulin levels

According to Dr. Armor, the goal is not to attack the skin.

The goal is to improve the body’s response to insulin.

He highlights several lifestyle strategies that may support healthier blood sugar regulation.

Move after meals

One of Dr. Armor’s strongest recommendations is simple: walk after eating.

Even a short walk can encourage muscles to absorb glucose from the bloodstream.

Muscle tissue is one of the body’s largest storage areas for glucose.

“When muscles contract, they can pull sugar from the blood with less dependence on insulin,” Dr. Armor explained.

A short walk after meals may help reduce sharp blood sugar rises and reduce the demand placed on insulin.

Maintain muscle strength

Dr. Armor emphasizes that muscle becomes increasingly important with age.

Muscle tissue acts as a metabolic reservoir. The more active muscle a person maintains, the more efficiently the body can handle glucose.

Strength training does not have to mean heavy weights.

Simple movements such as standing from a chair repeatedly, carrying groceries or performing gentle resistance exercises can help maintain muscle.

Change the order of food on the plate

Dr. Armor suggests focusing not only on what people eat, but how they eat.

Meals high in rapidly absorbed carbohydrates can cause faster increases in blood sugar and stronger insulin responses.

Adding protein, fiber and healthy fats can slow digestion.

Starting meals with vegetables and protein before eating starches may help create a more gradual rise in blood sugar.

Protect sleep quality

Poor sleep can affect how the body responds to insulin.

Dr. Armor explains that repeated short nights may increase stress signals and make glucose regulation more difficult.

A consistent sleep schedule, a darker bedroom and reduced screen exposure before bed can support metabolic health.

Break up long periods of sitting

Long periods of inactivity allow muscles to become less involved in glucose management.

Dr. Armor recommends standing, walking briefly or moving regularly throughout the day.

Small movements repeated often can have a meaningful impact.

When skin changes require medical attention

Although most skin tags are harmless, Dr. Armor stresses that certain changes should not be ignored.

People should seek medical evaluation if a growth:

• Changes color, especially becoming black or unusually red

• Grows rapidly

• Begins bleeding without injury

• Becomes painful or persistently itchy

• Develops an unusual shape

A healthcare provider should evaluate any growth that looks different from typical skin tags.

Dr. Armor also recommends discussing metabolic testing with a doctor when many new skin tags appear, especially together with darker velvety patches.

Tests such as hemoglobin A1C can provide information about average blood sugar levels over several months.

The message your skin may be sending

Dr. Armor’s final message is that skin tags should not automatically create fear.

Most are harmless.

But the body often communicates through visible changes, and sometimes those changes deserve attention.

“The skin is not separate from the rest of your body,” Dr. Armor said. “It is connected to everything happening underneath.”

Those small growths around your neck may simply be ordinary skin tags.

But if they are multiplying quickly, appearing in clusters or arriving with other changes, they may be a reason to look deeper.

The goal is not to panic.

The goal is awareness.

Because sometimes the earliest signs of internal changes are not discovered through complicated tests.

Sometimes they are visible in the mirror.

SKIN TAGS MULTIPLYING ON YOUR NECK? IT’S YOU...